The Blood Curse (Draco X Astoria)

Chapter 3

Astoria sat on her bed, clutching the note, rereading it. Three-thirty this afternoon she would be making her way to the dungeons. Astoria fought with words and wit, not fists and muscle. Not much wavered her calm, rational nature, however, she was genuinely worried about this detention. The curse made her weak, though she despised the thought, it was true. she wasn't sure how much abuse she could take.

Daphne ran down the dormatory stairs, two at at a time. 'I told him not to say anything! I'm sorry Tori!' Astoria turned around to face her panicked sister, her expression smooth as stone. Not even the best empath could have sensed her fear through the mask. 'Save it Daphne, I'll be fine' Seeing her sisters face she felt a little guilty for being so cold. 'It's okay, dont worry.' she added gently, although it wasn't true, it felt better saying it out loud. Astoria looked into her sisters pale blue eyes, she reached out and touched daphne's hand, before turning towards the door and stepping confidently out.

'Be brave' Astoria whispered to herself. 'greengrass... well look at that' Amycus cackled, 'spot on time' she would have loved nothing more than to be as wittily rude as she possibly could but she figured it could worsen her experience. So she looked at the ground and kept a shy, fragile expression.

the door burst open just then, and Alecto Carrow strided in with none other than Mr. Draco Malfoy. ' Mr. malfoy here in his rage asked me awfully nicely if he could do the honours, I said of course he could, but he seems not too be in the mood, I thought with a little nudge forwards he could really enjoy himself.' Amycus grinned at his sister, 'no problem sister' he then proceded to grab Astoria roughly by the arm and tie her hands to chains on the roof, he stood back, smiling sickly. Alecto gestured to Astoria, 'if you will Mr. Malfoy.' 

'I-' Draco looked at the twins, he attemed to point his wand at Astorias heart, his hand was shaking so badly, it could have been pointed anywhere. 'hurry up Draco, we're on a tight schedule!' Amycus snapped. Draco barely heard her, Astoria hadn't taken her eyes off his since she'd been chained up. She'd remembered reading it in one of her muggle novels, if your being held at gunpoint, don't look away from your captors eyes, it makes them uncomfortable.

Draco stared back at her, he couldn't have looked away if he wanted to. he couldn't hurt her, a vunerable, innocent child. the fear in her eyes wasn't put on, he could see that. he should be happy, that all he's ever wanted; to be feared. All of the nights he'd spent fantasizing about hurting her. Now he had the chance, he couldn't do it, he didn't want to do it. Coward. Her voice rang in his head. He knew he was a coward.

As his wand lowered, seemingly of its own accord. Alecto screeched, 'just do it Draco! whats gotten into you? you have always loved this game.' Astoria saw right through him, she was learning more and more every time she looked at him. ' Crucio!' he said, his voice was almost a whisper. 'Crucio!, Crucio!' he couldn't do it. His breathing became laboured, she would tell her father, he was dead for sure. He backed up against the wall. shaking. 'Draco, Draco! what's wrong with you today?' Draco didn't register amycus's words, he was out the door within seconds.

Alecto turned to Astoria, 'you're not getting off that easy Greengrass' she pointed her wand to Astoria and yelled 'crucio'

The pain. It was fire, on every inch of her body. It was breaking her bones. Stretching and twisting her muscles. Every second was agony. Her screams would echo off the walls, and travel to the common room. Not that anyone would care. Barely anyone knew she existed, they didn't consider her one of their own. The pain proving too much, Astoria finally fell unconscious. 

'Tori! Astoria!' someone was shaking her violently. Astoria groggily opened her eyes. A mountian of thick blonde hair was on top of her, an anxious face peered at her though it. Everything hurt, and She couldn't move, there was another person in the room, Madam Pomfrey. So she was in the hospital wing, that was her last thought before falling back into the reverie of her dreams.

Astoria didn't remember much of the following days. A couple of her roommates, Luna and Daphne visited her. She was anxious to get back to classes. She'd decided to steer well clear of Malfoy. Although he intriged her, like no one ever had, it wasn't worth the pain. She'd been foolish to think he'd come around. Maybe it was her loneliness, but despite her lack of friends, Astoria had never felt lonely. She was fine the way she was, she always had been comfortable within herself. Or so she thought, now she wasn't so sure.

On the fifth day of her long and tedious recovery she was allowed out of the hospital wing, with a very sore head and strict orders not to be getting into anymore trouble, but she had drawn attention to herself, that was never advisable when your school was under power of the most powerfully evil wizard in the country and you were hiding a huge secret from the rest of the world.

Astoria couldn't have been happier to curl up in her corner with her potions homework and drown out the noise of the world around her. She hadn't seen Draco since their odd encounter in the dungeons. She vaguely wondered what had gotten into him. Why couldn't he hurt her? Was he avoiding her now? no, of course not. Why would he bother, she was only an insignificant fifth year, he'd said it himself, he shouldn't be worried either, Astoria had no friends to gossip to. Maybe it was becuase she was Daphne's sister, would he really care? if Astoria had any talent, it would have to be her ability to see through people. They weren't really friends, just props. If it came down to it, they'd betray each other without a second thought. Astoria thought Draco lived a pretty lonely life. He had followers, not companions. It was sad.

Months past, Astoria heard no more from Draco, the carrows, or Daphne. Her own sister was avoiding her. Astoria couldn't understand her sometimes, one minute they were best friends and the next it was like she was invisible. Astoria hadn't told her father of the incident. She should have, she knew that. Her family privately resented the Malfoys, but they were of high status on their side of the war. The dark lord hadn't seen enough potential in her father to make him a Death Eater. 

Lucius had probably threatened and or bribed the Carrows into silence abut Draco's slip up. Astoria knew that if she were to report to her father, he would tell the Dark Lord, question the Carrows and have the Malfoys persecuted, severely. After Draco's failed murder attempt last year the Dark Lord would only be delighted to have an excuse to finally finish the malfoys, but they were of good use to him, he would have to wait.

Astoria picked up her books, the common room was almost empty, she walked along the seventh floor corridor, reading, no one was ever up here. she didn't have to worry about people, that was until she felt a vey much solid weight collide with her side. She yelped and jumped away, looking up with angry eyes, she said, 'watch it, you made me lose my place!' looking up, she blushed a deep red, she had collided with none other than Draco Malfoy.

'What the hell do you think your doing, get out of my way, Greengrass!' Astoria wasn't listening, she was staring at the place in the wall where he had emerged. 'what are you doing in the room of requirements?' she demanded. 'That's none of your-' 'why are your eyes red? have you been crying?' she would have laughed, thats what a respectable Slytherin would have done, but she didn't find the situation remotely funny. Draco stammered, for the first time in his life, he was lost for words.

They looked at each other for a moment before Draco pinned Astoria to the opposite wall. 'I swear to God, if you tell a soul about... this I'll blast you and your stuck up sister into obliviation.' He threatened through clenched teeth. She stared, her heart was beating a mile a minute.

It was mesmorising, she could see his eyes up close now. they were grey, with a blue tint near the outside. She could feel his breath on her face. She forced herself to breathe. whether from the close proximity of their bodies, or the shock of which he pushed her, she didn't know, but she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of courage. Pushing him back, she said in her bravest, most dominant voice, 'If you were in any way capable of hurting me you would have done so already. But i won't tell anyone, your having a hard enough time as it is.' She didn't know where this extreme display of compassion came from, but she felt good about it. 

turning towards him ne last time she said 'goodbye' and left him standing, stunned, as she made her way to the charms classroom, returning her book.